Wishes as stated in the Trust Deed. No doubt, your being here
is in part fulfilment of that Wish, because you are here under
the object of Spiritual Training. However, just as Baba used
most of the money that came to Him from His lovers for His
work and not for us, the same thing should apply to the Trust
and the Spiritual Trainees. That is, most of the love donations
that come to the Trust should be used in the fulfilment of the
objects of the Trust Deed. Only what is necessary should be
spent for the care of the Spiritual Trainees. You have the
privilege of living on the Trust Estate in order to take care of it
for Beloved Baba as He would want you to in the spirit of
Mastery in Servitude, just as we would try to fulfil His orders
as He would want us to.

LIVING TOGETHER

It is very important for you, as Spiritual Trainees, to
understand that there is a world of difference between equality
and Oneness. The world these days is very much caught up in
the idea of equality, and it may seem like a very noble idea to
live by. But if you try to uphold that ideal, thinking that it is in
any way spiritual, then you will be moving towards what is
unreal. The idea of equality is a false one. Remember Illusion,
which is based on duality, expresses itself through diversity.
How can you make things equal that are limited and therefore
false? If you seek equality in your daily life, eventually your
attempt will create jealousy and hatred, and in fact, you will
find that you have created differences. On the other hand, if
you seek inner Oneness, then you will want to love God more
and more. Seeking inner Oneness will create sympathy and
love in your daily life, wiping out those differences. Equality
is unnatural, because it is based on what is external in Illusion.
However inner Oneness is natural because it is a reflection of
the spirit.

- page 104-

The following incident shows how Baba would adjust a
situation to meet an individual's particular need, paying no
attention to the idea of equality. Dr. Donkin was one of the
Companions of the New Life. As one of the Companions, he
had to go through all the phases of the New Life, including
begging. During that period, India got its independence from
England. When Donkin would go begging, people could not
understand why this Englishman was doing so. They would
think that there must be some trick behind it. Often, he would
be abused when he went out to beg.

All the Companions slept out in the open under trees.
Donkin would not be able to sleep because there would be
plenty of mosquitoes. Observing this, Baba one day asked
Vishnu to go to the market and buy a mosquito net. Before all
the Companions, Baba gave that net to Donkin. And Baba
said, "By giving Donkin this net, do you think that I favour
him? He did not expect that he would get a mosquito net. Then
why I am doing this? Because he is not used to sleeping out in
the open, where there are so many mosquitoes. He spends
sleepless nights, but he does not complain. Do not think, 'Why
is Baba giving a net to him and not to me?' He is following the
conditions of the New Life. He is just the same as you are, and
he is proving that by his actions. But what is My duty? You
can sleep without a net, and I see he spends sleepless nights
but does not complain. Because he cannot sleep, I have to do
something for him. That is why I am giving this mosquito net
to him. It is left to him how he will use the mosquito net,
because he does not have a bed or anything to fix it to. But if a
mosquito net is given to you, you will think about wanting a
bed. (Baba said this jokingly.) So know well, there is no
favouritism. This is required for Donkin, because he is not
used to this type of life."

So in this example you have an illustration of how
Baba took care of one person's need, paying no attention to the
idea

- page 105-

of equality. If you have a feeling of Oneness, you would be
happy that something was done for him in the midst of leading
such a life. You would not feel jealous. But if you feel that
everything should be determined toward a standard of
equality, you would think, "Why was he given a net. Why
wasn't I given one?" Then the spirit is lost, and you are living
a life of the mind, not a life of the heart.

As I said previously, because everyone has different
impressions, everyone has a different face. You perform deeds
according to your impressions. So also, does everyone do
different deeds. As long as impressions exist, differences are
bound to exist.

But love is such that it wipes out these differences,
these impressions. The more that impressions are wiped out,
the more the experience of inner Oneness will come. And as
you love God, you will go on freeing yourself from sanskaras
(impressions) that keep you bound to the world. Love for God
makes you free from bindings, but seeking equality increases
them.

As Spiritual Trainees, the aim of your life is to love
God. Therefore, as you do your duties, your heart's attention
must be towards the inner structure of the world. As you love
God, inner Oneness is revealed. But you will only feel this
Oneness in your heart when your life has become one-pointed
toward Meher Baba. The goal of life is to become One with
God, and so, one day, by Beloved Baba's grace, He will make
you realise your eternal Oneness with everyone and
everything.

As there is a world of difference between Oneness and
equality, the same holds true for humility and modesty.

What generally happens at spiritual retreats, ashrams,
etc. is that people, in their attempt to be spiritual, end up only

- page 106-

being modest. They think that by appearing nice and loving,
they are spiritual. But they have not won the feeling of
Oneness nor even the inner understanding that would truly
make them loving. It is only an outward show. Sometimes
their weaknesses overcome them, and they appear modest just
so people will praise them. Beloved Baba did not want us to
be modest. He wanted us to be humble and natural. When you
act out of modesty, you show others how you want them to see
you. When you act out of humility, your actions are based on
what you honestly feel and are within yourself. That is, your
external actions are an honest reflection of your inner being.

For an example of what I mean by the difference
between modesty and humility, we can look at the cherry, the
almond and the grape. The cherry is very soft outside, but
there is a hard pit inside. The almond is very hard outside, but
soft inside. And the grape is very soft, both outside and inside.

Someone with a cherry personality appears very soft
outwardly, but inside they are very hard and bitter. No one
knows this. Outside, they appear very hospitable, very friendly
and very nice. But inside, they are not so. When, instead of
being open and cleaning our hearts of bitterness, we hide our
grudges, our personality becomes like the cherry. Baba did not
like grudges. Modesty creates weakness and even leads to
hypocrisy.

Now the almond personality is very hard outside, but
soft inside. So those who are like the almond, although outside
they appear very hard, inside do not have bad feelings for
others. Inside they have love, but outside they appear as if they
are very bitter. We act like this when we become too
preoccupied with things and become harsh towards others, but
don't really mean it inside. But still, this shows a lack of
control over the false self and an inability to uphold the feeling
of Oneness at the time.

- page 107-

Baba gave the following example: It is just like a boy
who calls his mother, "my father's wife" instead of "Mummy",
which would make her happy. Although it is true she is his
father's wife, calling her such makes her unhappy. It is a very
unloving thing to call your mother, "my father's wife". The
next time when we become hard outside, we should remember
to try to become soft, so it really reflects what we are within.
By doing this, misunderstandings are not created.

And finally, the grape personality is soft both
outwardly and inwardly. The heart's inner softness is reflected
outwardly, and consequently your external actions are an
honest reflection of your inner being. This is being truly
humble. When the heart is reflected in your actions, you are
listening to the Beloved, humbly obeying His promptings in
your heart. Reflecting your heart in your actions makes you
strong, because you actually express what you are. You rely
on the truth, and you have nothing to hide. Modesty can never
allow this, because in modesty, you will try to portray how
you want to be. Sometimes we can be like the cherry,
sometimes like the almond and sometimes like the grape. But
we should try to become more and more like the grape in our
actions.

I will tell one more story from our life with Baba on
this subject of modesty.

We were in Satara in 1959, and at the time, two boys
from Nepal were there. They had been with Baba in Dehra
Dun. They did kitchen work and cooked food for the Mandali,
and they asked Baba if they could stay with Him. Baba
accepted their request, and they came with us from Dehra Dun
to Mahabaleshwar and then to Satara. These boys continued to
do the same work. Aloba was the kitchen manager in Satara.
He would go to their room at 5:30 a.m., wake the boys up for
them

- page 108-

to finish making the tea by 6:00 a.m., so we could be ready by
6:30 a.m., because then Baba would come to Mandali Hall.

One night, these boys went to the movies without
telling anyone. The next morning, Aloba knocked on their
door. The boys said they would get up and make the tea. But
they went on sleeping. They did not get up, so the tea was not
ready at 6:00 a.m. Aloba became so irritated that he went to
their room and shouted and shouted at them through the door.
At last, he kicked the door. The boys got up, but Aloba
continued to shout at them. At 6:30 a.m. Baba came and asked
us if we had had tea.

We told him that we did not, because the tea had not
been ready.

At this, Baba called Aloba and asked why the tea
wasn't ready. Aloba said, "Baba, these two boys are rascals. I
woke them up at 5:30 a.m. They told me they were coming,
but they did not."

Pendu then spoke up and said, "They did not come, but
you behaved very badly."

"What did he do?" Baba asked.

"Not only was Aloba shouting at these boys," said
Pendu, "but he was also kicking the door to their room."

Baba said to Aloba, "Why did you do this? They are
just new boys. And why did they come here? Because they
love Me. Never do such a thing."

Baba ended the matter with these words to Aloba and
the topic changed.

- page 109-

Then Baba went to His bungalow. I went with Him
along with Aloba. But as we walked to the bungalow, I
continued thinking how Aloba had not behaved well with the
boys. It was not proper.

Baba immediately asked me, "What are you thinking?"
I had to say that I was thinking about the episode in the
morning, how Aloba had not behaved properly with the boys.

Baba immediately said, "Then go to Rishikesh. There
are many ashrams there. Go to the Gandhi Ashram. There you
will find modesty, and people will appreciate your modesty.
But here, there is no modesty. Whatever you are, whatever
Aloba is, it is open. He did not hide himself. Though his
behaviour was not good, and I did not like it, at least he did
not pretend to be other than what he is. But since you want
modesty, go to those ashrams."

When I was in college, before I met Beloved Baba, I
wanted to go to Rishikesh. I had been drawn towards
spirituality, not knowing what spirituality was. I started
observing long fasts, for twenty-one days, drinking only water
and eating nothing. I went to Gandhi's ashram, and also to the
ashram of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa in Nagpur.
When I went to the tomb of Tajuddin Baba, I became even
more restless. Then I wrote a letter to a Swami in Rishikesh,
and he called me there. Unknown to me, behind the scenes,
Baba was bringing about these changes in my life.

I did not go to Rishikesh, because in the meantime,
Beloved Baba came to Nagpur where I lived. Before He came,
I had never heard of Him. But when I met Him, I surrendered
my life to Him. According to His orders, I joined Him in
Mussoorie, in the Himalayas, three months after my final
examination. Later, Baba took me from Dehra Dun to

- page 110-

Rishikesh, particularly to show me that place, so I would not
think about it even in my dreams. When I went to Rishikesh
with Baba, He pointed at it and taunted me by saying, "This is
your Rishikesh." As I looked upon people in robes and long
hair and all the dirtiness that surrounded them, I thought that it
was good that I did not join an ashram there.

I came to understand later that those swamis and
mahatmas do not know what real spiritual life is. They, and
those in their ashrams, follow the ideal life, where you observe
certain rules in order to fulfil your "idea" of spirituality. But
this does not cause any real inner change. You are only
following the mind. They do not know that real spiritual life is
based upon the Master's orders. You fulfil them willingly,
without thinking whether they are good or bad, because
whatever He asks you to do is the proper treatment to get rid
of the false self. There is no set pattern to the spiritual life.

As Spiritual Trainees, you should have a clear
understanding that the ideal life covers the false self with the
garb of modesty. And because modesty is maintained, the
false self remains unchanged. In the spiritual life, the false self
gradually disappears, because it is a life of effacement. With
the ideal life you are unnatural, because your outer actions are
not an honest reflection of your inner being. But in the
spiritual life, you become more and more natural, because of
the fact that your outer actions gradually reflect your inner
being.

There is a story that illustrates the problems that
modesty can cause.

In a village once lived a father and son. The son's
mother died when she was delivering him, and the father
brought the boy up. The father and son loved each other very
much, and the son was so devoted to the father that he would
not leave him, even for a minute. Now and again, the father

- page 111-

would consider how the son never left him for any change
whatsoever, even for recreation or sightseeing. When the
father would ask the son to go sightseeing, the son did not
want to go. One day, the father thought of a plan to give some
change in scenery to the son.

He said to him, "Your maternal uncle is about 50 miles
from here, and I would like to see him. Will you come with
me?"

The son said, "Of course, how can I leave you alone? I
will go with you."

"We have only one donkey. How can we both go?"

"I am quite young, and I can walk the distance," the
son said. "There is nothing difficult for me. I am strong."

The father was very happy, and he thought that in this
way his son would get a change. So early in the morning of
the following day, they started on their journey. After
travelling awhile, they came upon a village. The villagers
stared at the pair as they travelled down the street.

The people said, "Just see this man. He is riding the
donkey, and he has no shame in seeing that young boy walk
beside him."

When the father heard this, he felt ashamed that he was
riding the donkey while his son was walking.

So the father said, "Son, now you ride the donkey. I
will walk for some time."

Because the people were laughing at them, the son,
feeling ashamed, also agreed. The son and father switched

- page 112-

places, and the son was riding the donkey. They went a further
distance and came upon another village. There again, people
started looking at them and speaking amongst themselves.

This time the villagers said, "What kind of young man
is he that lets this older man walk while he rides the donkey
like a prince? He has no shame."

When the son heard this, he felt very ashamed. So the
father decided that both of them should ride the donkey. They
went a further distance and came across another village.

There, too, people looked at them and said, "Just see
their cruelty. Both of them ride the donkey, while the poor,
dumb animal cannot say anything. How cruel they are!"

When the father and son heard this, they felt bad
because they were being so cruel to the donkey. They decided
then that both of them should walk and drag the donkey. Now
the sun was near setting, and they came across another village.
Once again, people looked at them and said, "What fools they
are, that they are dragging a donkey while they themselves are
walking. They are so ignorant that they don't even know that a
donkey is meant for riding. They walk and drag the donkey."

Now the father and son felt really confused. They were
feeling ashamed and cruel and foolish all at the same time. As
they passed through that village, the father and the son decided
to sit under a tree, feeling overwhelmed from everything that
everyone had said to them. Wherever they went, they were
found in the wrong by others. And they did not know how to
proceed on their journey.

Just as they were thinking such thoughts, a saintly
person came by and he said to them, "Why are you sitting
here?"

- page 113-

They said, "We are thinking what to do."

And the father told the saintly person what had taken
place on the first day of their journey. "If you have any
remedy for this situation, please let us know. We will act
accordingly."

The saintly person replied, "The reason that all this is
happening is because you want to please the people of the
world. But this is not possible because each person has their
own ideas. Even though you did what they wanted, you are
now confused and ashamed. They found you cruel and foolish.
This is your weakness, because really you are neither. But if
you continue to listen to the people as you travel from one
village to the next, you will never be able to get to your
destination. Then you really would be foolish. Do not listen
anymore to their chatter, but listen to God within you. He will
guide you properly.

The father and son had not listened to the voice inside
themselves, and so they were at a loss as to what to do. All
they could do was listen to everyone else. And that is why it is
most important for you, as Spiritual Trainees, to listen to how
Beloved Baba is prompting you. That is the voice you must
follow, otherwise, you will not get to the destination. But to
hear the voice in your heart, you have to be very honest with
yourselves. Desires of every kind will always be in your mind,
urging you to follow their lead. So you have to develop the
discretion to distinguish between what is the voice of the heart
and what is the noise of the mind and its innumerable desires.
If you are not honest with yourselves, you will be led by false
modesty, thinking that you are leading a spiritual life. But
what you will be leading is only an ideal life, and no real inner
change will take place.

- page 114-

Spiritual Trainees should also be aware of the
difference between worldly friendship and true friendship.
One thing that is very hard to accept for those beginning a
spiritual life is the truth that friendship on the spiritual path is
very different than what, in the world, is normally understood
as friendship. I explained this earlier through some of the
stories I shared in my life with Beloved Baba. Now I'll give
one more incident I observed amongst Baba and the Mandali
that directly concerns friendship.

Vishnu and Dr. Nilu were friends from the time they
were in high school in Pune. Vishnu joined Baba after his high
school education, and Nilu joined Baba after he finished his
medical education. Both loved each other very much. They
were fast friends.

But Baba did not like false friendship. He wanted true
friendship. True friendship is such that one does not ignore
truth for the sake of friendship. If anyone does so, he does
injustice to his own honesty.

Dr. Nilu was fond of a special sweet produced from
milk, called basundi. Milk is boiled and boiled until it
becomes very thick, and keshar (saffron) is mixed into the
milk. Beloved Baba permitted Nilu to have only 30 rupees
worth of basundi every month while we were in Satara. Baba
knew that after several months, His second accident would
take place, and Dr. Nilu would die. So He permitted Nilu this
treat which Nilu enjoyed so much.

Once, it so happened, that Nilu had exhausted the
money before the month's end, and he wanted to eat some
basundi very much.

Vishnu was doing the marketing, for which he had
money. Nilu approached Vishnu and said, "Vishnu, bring

- page 115-

basundi for me today. I don't have money, but in three days, at
the month's end, I will get 30 rupees. I will pay you back after
that. But please bring me some basundi today."

Vishnu did bring it, but he felt very bad, that he had
brought it without Baba's permission. It was not good. He
should not have spent out of the money he had for marketing.
And Nilu should not have spent more than 30 rupees during
the month. So, Vishnu went to Baba and told him.

When Baba came to sit with the Mandali, Baba asked
Nilu, "How much did you spend this month for your basundi?"

Nilu felt scared and answered, "Slightly more than
usual."

Baba said, "Where did you get this money?"

"I asked Vishnu, and he gave it to me," said Nilu. "But
I will return it."

"I had given you an order that you are to spend up to 30
rupees for basundi and not more. Why did you spend more?"
Baba said, and then turned to Vishnu, "Why did you purchase
basundi for him, because he is your friend? I don't like such
false friendship. Be honest. Don't do such things. If you do it
again, know well, you will have to take your bags and return
to your homes. I don't like this type of dishonesty. If you do
such a dishonest thing with Me, you are wasting your time
here. It would be better that you both go home. Be honest; be
truthful and sincere in following My instructions."

If anyone else had asked Vishnu to do this favour, he
would not have done so without Baba's permission. But he did
it for Nilu, because Nilu was his friend. But later he informed
Baba that he had made this mistake. Baba always wanted true

- page 116-

friendship. He did not want us to seek each other's favour or to
favour anyone. That is the weakness in worldly friendship.
True friendship lasts, and false friendship spoils a person and
permits their weaknesses to continue.

In the world, friends get personally involved with each
other, favour and even lie for each other. Sometimes they
commit very harmful acts in the name of friendship. But this is
not true friendship. True friendship is based on helping each
other towards the truth, just as Vishnu did for Nilu. In work
situations on the Trust Estate, if worldly attitudes regarding
friendship exist, it will spoil the work and the atmosphere.
Favouring friends creates preferences where there should be
none. As you can see, Beloved Baba did not want us to have
such friendships. There is a world of difference between
friendship as the world knows it and the feeling of Oneness.
The feeling of Oneness is based on the Truth and is an
expression of it.

But it is important to talk things over now and again
with someone as friends do. We found that the first group of
Spiritual Trainees came to us with their questions, and we did
the best we could in helping them along the path towards
Baba. But only He can really guide anyone. Even we who
lived with Him could only offer care and suggestions. But the
human need to talk things over will continue amongst the
Spiritual Trainees after we are gone. I recognise that need, and
so I am suggesting something be done to meet that need.

Although Spiritual Trainees can meet with their
Department Manager(s) and their Programme Sponsors to
discuss their work, it is also good to talk to someone outside of
their work setting to get some sort of perspective. For that
purpose, I am suggesting that new Trainees find on their own
a "Personal Sponsor" amongst the Senior Spiritual Trainees
(those who have been here for 20 years), with whom the new

- page 117-

Trainees can talk freely. If one is not available, then they
should find some suitable Spiritual Trainee who has been here
as close to 20 years as possible. Spiritual Trainees should
inform the Chairman (or Spiritual Workers Department) who
their Personal Sponsor is, so that the latter can also write the
six-month review for the Chairman (or Spiritual Workers
Department) and attend review meetings, if necessary,
regarding the Spiritual Trainee's progress.

As the administration becomes larger in the future, in
addition to the Personal Sponsor, I suggest one department be
created to see to the relationships amongst the Spiritual
Trainees. As Beloved Baba called those who accompanied
Him in the New Life, His Companions, I suggest this
Department be called 'The Spiritual Trainee Companionship
Department." This Department will address any personal
needs of, and give any assistance necessary, to the Spiritual
Trainee.

This Department can also see to such things as
orientating new Spiritual Trainees as they enter the Spiritual
Training Programme. The Department will help to see that
new trainees have someone of their own age, but who has
lived under Spiritual Training for a year or two, to help
orientate them, as part of an orientation process. (The new
Trainees will receive further guidance from their Programme
Sponsor in helping them adjust, as well as the Department
Manager under whom they work.) The Companionship
Department can also be available to any Spiritual Trainee who
just wants to come in and talk things over.

Originally Mani and I would make ourselves available
to hear the grievances of Spiritual Trainees. This is an
important responsibility of the Chairman. While
administrative duties still permit, the Chairman can get
directly involved in such matters. But as his duties grow, it
will no longer be possible. Therefore, included amongst the
responsibilities of the Companionship

- page 118-

Department is also to attend to the grievances of Spiritual
Trainees that come up during work. The Department will help
co-ordinate the efforts to address these grievances amongst the
people concerned. The Chairman may create this Department
anytime he feels it necessary.

In trying to uphold a feeling of Oneness, it is helpful to
remember that Beloved Baba wanted us to forgive and forget.
Beloved Baba did not like it if we had grudges amongst
ourselves. So if there is any misunderstanding, it should be
sorted out with love, so that everyone can remain cleanhearted.
And therefore, this Department will have this very
important and loving responsibility.

During the New Life, Beloved Baba played the role of
a seeker of God. Throughout the New Life, whenever Beloved
Baba would make mistakes, He would humble Himself.

Beloved Baba gave humanity an important example of
what humility is. One night, near the end of the New Life,
Beloved Baba was staying with His Companions at the
Imampur Mosque near Meherazad. During the night, a bird
was making noise inside the building. Baba asked Eruch to
catch the bird and throw it out. Eruch read Baba's gestures by
lighting matches. Just as Eruch was about to catch the bird in
the darkness, Baba called him back. He told Eruch to leave the
bird alone and that He Himself had committed a great mistake.
To throw the bird out would have been cruel. The next day,
Baba had Eruch tell the Mandali about the incident, that Baba
had given a cruel order. As a remedy for this, Baba then
instructed His Companions to slap His body with their sandals
and then spit on Him. As a seeker of God, and not God
Himself, Baba made that mistake in order to show mankind
how to be humble and repent when you make a mistake.

- page 119-

On other occasions, after expressing anger, Beloved
Baba would ask the Mandali to spit on Him. Again, He did
this in order to show how important it was to overcome anger.

You, as Spiritual Trainees, are also Seekers of God.
And Beloved Baba's examples of how to humble yourself after
expressing weaknesses should be remembered. Of course, you
should not go to the extent that Beloved Baba did for the sake
of His work for humanity. But when you express anger,
jealousy, greed, etc., you should become aware of it and then
feel genuine repentance for those actions. After the
repentance, you should remain alert so that such weaknesses
are not put into action again.

Spiritual Training is an inner discipline which means
that you discipline yourself, rather than being disciplined from
outside yourself, the way a parent does a child. However, one
outer discipline should be maintained and that is that everyone
should be on Trust property by 10pm. This curfew can be
extended when there are special programs like Silence Day,
New Year's Day, Christmas Eve, etc.

One letter came to Baba, the writer wondering how
Baba lovers should behave at a particular Baba Centre.

Baba asked me to reply, "However you behave before
Me, behave like that, wherever you are. This is the only
discipline I want from My lovers. Do not think that I am
absent. I am present everywhere, and therefore, behave with
that certainty. Never think that I am absent. I am always
present. When you backbite, know well that I am present
there. When you say something against someone because of
jealousy, know well that I am present there. Whatever act you
perform, know well that I am present there. So do not do
anything without' thinking that I am present. Know well, that
nothing remains hidden from Me. And therefore, always
behave with each other

- page 120-

in a way which pleases Me. That is the best discipline for you
to maintain."

As Spiritual Trainees, offering your life in the service
of God implies that you are willing and able to discipline
yourselves. However, now and again, you will make mistakes.
At that time, those of you in managerial roles should explain
to the other Spiritual Trainees very lovingly (and not harshly)
how they may approach their duties in a more responsible and
loving way. As Supervisors or Managers, you should do this
only in order to help the other Spiritual Trainees in serving
God. This is a very important responsibility for those of you in
managerial roles. You should feel that your responsibility is to
give those who are under your supervision direction in the
outer work, and at the same time, show through your actions
what the essentials of selfless service require. It is your duty as
Supervisors or Managers to live such a life that other Trainees
understand how Beloved Baba should be served.

Besides mistakes in carrying out one's daily duty, if
any Spiritual Trainee personally misbehaves, he or she should
be talked with very lovingly by those in managerial roles. The
Supervisor or Manager should request the Trainee to uphold
the inner discipline required. If necessary, the matter can be
reported to the Companionship Department who can talk with
the Spiritual Trainee. Those in this Department should
carefully, properly, and lovingly settle the problem, basing
their assistance on what Baba has said. This should all be done
in a spirit of helping the Trainee.

If the problems are severe to begin with, and any one
of the Trainees is found indulging in violence, stealing, sex or
other undesirable acts, the matter should be reported to the
Companionship Department. The Department will issue
"Reminders of the Fixed Conditions" that Spiritual Trainees
said they would uphold. If he or she does not mend his or her

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behaviour after three Reminders, the matter should be brought
to the Chairman's attention. And if the Chairman cannot help
the Trainee to mend his or her ways, the Chairman can
recommend to the Board that the Trainee be asked to leave the
Trust Estate and return to his or her native place.

Spiritual Trainees who want to leave the Spiritual
Training Programme at any time are free to go without any
shame. Occasionally, even after many years of living with
Him, some of Beloved Baba's close ones would ask to leave to
return to live a life separately from Him. Also, if Spiritual
Trainees wish to go back to help the Baba Centre in their
home town, and that Centre is calling them to be of help, the
Spiritual Trainee is free to leave the Programme without any
shame.

Recreation is also a part of life. One department, the
Programme Department, should be created to see to this aspect
of the Spiritual Trainees' life. This Department will have the
responsibility of seeing to the creation and availability of
games, both indoor and outdoor, sports and exercise
programmes. Beloved Baba was very fond of games such as
cricket and cards. In the early days at Meherabad, Baba had
the Mandali play various games and even gave prizes.
However, whatever team sports and games Spiritual Trainees
participate in, they should only play in competitions organised
for them by the Trust. They should not lose sight of why they
are here and get involved in outside competitions.

The Programme Department can also arrange events
which include music, plays, singing, talks on spiritual matters,
the viewing of Baba films and Mandali videos, etc.

The Programme Department can also plan excursions
for the Spiritual Trainees to visit places where Beloved Baba
did His work, places such as Hyderabad where He did His
Manonash work and Belgaon, Benares (Varanasi),

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Mahabaleshwar, and Meher Mafi where He spent time in the
New Life. It will be necessary to create many sections in the
Programme Department.

Because there is a free mixing of the sexes on the Trust
Estate, there is the potential of two Spiritual Trainees
becoming so attracted to each other that they want to be
married. This happened on a few occasions amongst the first
group of Spiritual Trainees. We Mandali asked them to go
back to their homes to be married. Some returned to continue
their Spiritual Training, but most stayed at their native place to
live their married life there. Spiritual Trainees make an oath
before God to strive to live the New Life, and they also sign
the Fixed Conditions. These acts on their part are done with
full understanding of what is required to be a Spiritual
Trainee. Amongst the conditions is striving to rise above the
force of lust and maintain a brotherly and sisterly feeling for
all.

However, if the force of attraction rises to the extent
that Trainees feel that they must be married, that is their
personal choice. They then should inform the Chairman (or
the Spiritual Workers Department). They will be asked to
return to their native places to be married. As long as they live
on the Trust Estate, they are expected to uphold Fixed
Condition No. 10 up until the time they are married.

Spiritual Trainees should not take it for granted that
they will be allowed to continue to live on the Trust Estate
under Spiritual Training if they are married. They will have to
make an application to the Chairman (or Spiritual Workers
Department). The Chairman will discuss the matter with that
Department (if functioning) or the Department Managers
under whom the Spiritual Trainees work. The Chairman will
then present the application to the Board. Only those
applications of Spiritual Trainees who have been serving the
Beloved's Cause for many years genuinely, sincerely, honestly
and lovingly will